So thankful

I have said it before, but it bears repeating. While my childhood may not have been 'ideal' compared to the majority around me at the time, I was SO blessed to grow up in the town I did, with the family I did, and with the wisdom of Christian leaders around me. Someone put a poster up at United Way that said, 'It takes a village to raise up a child' This is so very true. 

There is still so much room for growth and improvement but there are a few things 'right' about me also. I credit this to my foundation. My foundation in a church filled with real people that love Jesus. These people gave of their time and talents to feed into me. Paul M. and my grandmother M. fostered my love of music (although I can't carry a tune in a bucket). Music is to this day, one Lana and Curtiss and Linda (and countless others) gave of their time to not only lead the musicals that fed my naturally dramatic flare, but reinforced music as a conduit of God's love. 

In my youth group there were Sunday school leaders, pastor's wives, friend's parents, and many more, that spent countless hours teaching and encouraging me, listening to me, mentoring me and cheering me on. They kept me grounded when I was irrational(remember that dramatic flare?). Because of these men and women I understand the importance of Bible study and memorization, of listening to immature teenagers that feel 'this' is SO important! Of giving back despite what my job or family obligations are - but to always keep life in order, God, family, friends. 

Watching my mom and the mom's put in front of me growing up, has shaped the mother I am today. While I am not perfect, my heart is pure. I want only the best for my kids. I want them to love Jesus, share Jesus' love, and be counted on by those around them. 

I want them to always do their best, admit mistakes and take personal responsibility at all times. I want them to know there is a whole other world 'out there' beyond themselves, their clothes, their social groups, and their town. I pray they always appreciate the little things but expect the big things in life. 

As a wife I probably struggle the most. Not because of negative experiences, but  because I can only consciously think of one couple that took time to verbally demonstrate - as well as living this out- what God called a wife to be. Or what the idea is of a Biblical wife. My mom did this, but was overshadowed by her divorce. I can see now that she did live out what the Bible calls us to as a wife to the best of her ability. There were even women in my church that were betrayed by their spouse, but chose to stay and work through it. I used to think, 'I would never...' Well, not that my spouse has cheated, but the struggles we have had have been varied and many. God has used the foundation I was given to keep me planted as the storms have RAGED from around me, but also inside me. I stand here, almost 17 years into marriage and think of so many should have, would haves, could haves and if onlys. But I also stand in the knowledge that 'He who began a good work IS faithful to complete it'. Whether its my parenting, my marriage, my life in general - I know that God has this! No matter how badly I may 'feel' I am screwing things up with my husband or my children, I rest in His promise that He is making something wonderful as my heart and steps continue to follow him.

So thankful for my 'village'!

Growing up

I know with the school year coming to an end, both girls getting braces off, one learning to drive, and my youngest no longer believing in Santa or any of his guardian crew it is normal to reflect - and I am no different, that is what I am doing.

There are moments that forever 'mark' our lives - they are good moments and unfortunately there are also 'bad' moments. It could be a death, job loss, move, etc. I think back over these last four years and consider not only what moments have effected me, but also my kids, my marriage, my extended family, etc. 

Some of our highlights have been: 

Layoff, death of grandfather(mine), my mother's incapacitation, foot surgery, husband's relapse, death of MIL, MIL illness, financial issues, separation, kids succeeding in school and friendships, favor with employment, worsening of food allergies, hearing issues, personal back injury, chronic pain in my husbands body, maturation of my kids, ripping apart of my sibling relationships- and now some restoration of that. And like your list I am sure, mine could go on. 

I think back over the awesome favor of God in my life, the life of my children, and my husband - not to say we have had it easy breezy, but I am so definitely sure things could have been worse. 

As I feel like spring is continuing inside me I get all giddy. 

I have been in 'winter' for a long time it seems. Sort of like a soldier with PTSD. Just kind of going through the motions, thankful, but also waiting for that next atom bomb. 

For whatever reason God is choosing now to again, shake up my ground - pour out His life water, and start my regrowth after dormancy. I had moments this past fall, but allowed myself to hibernate once again. 

This post does not suffice all that is happening inside my heart and life, but please know - 'To God Be ALL the glory!!' I take nothing for granted. Not my marriage, my children, my job, friends, nothing. 

As a side note this 'shake up' includes my battle with the enemy where food and sugar and breads are concerned. It is so true what the Bible says, 'resist the devil and he will flee'. There are days his persuasion is SO strong and just exactly what my flesh believes is needed, but each time I have resisted his uncanny timing, I have become spiritually stronger in this area! It is also true what Proverbs says, where there is no plan, the people perish'. This is not speaking just to finances or tomorrow- or even to the coming of a digital shutdown that could cripple our lives. No, this speaks to every area- especially our own specific 'soft spot' so to speak. I am learning every day the fine art of preparation. 

Daily I try and confess God's word and promises over me, my marriage, and my family. Romans 14:7

Be blessed!

Sometimes silence is golden....sometimes its not!

Hmmm, six months.  Six months since my last entry on here.  If a tape recorder - or keyboard in this case - could be attached to my brain between the hours of 8:30 pm and midnight -I PROMISE I would have a series written by now.
Too bad that has not been created yet, but also probably a good thing since my mind can be a crazy place too often - so here I am back on the keyboard - have a few spare moments (that really I can think of 5 other things I SHOULD be doing, but oh well).
To summarize these last six months it has been a time of Pinterest - crafts, recipes, activities for the kids, etc. A time of extended family illnesses and injuries.  A time of adjusting to having one in high school, one in middle school, one in intermediate school, and ALL their activities.  Whew.  Makes me tired just thinking about it all as I write.  But, alas - I am very thankful that we have the opportunities to do these things - Little Man Tate has gotten so good at hind catching because of this season of "fall ball".  My oldest has faced her fears of the hallowed halls of high school - and although she is still adjusting she is doing really great.  My middle girl (Moo Moo) is, as usual, stepping to her own drummer - and just when you think she is missing something in life by being the observer of her siblings' activities, she does something for someone or says something completely insightful that reminds this momma's heart that she is good right where she is.  Her time for activities is coming and I don't want to miss what down time and finger nail painting time I have right now with her.
I have personally been struggling with anxiety and what could only be termed "spiritual warfare".  Days of not being able to tolerate being around others - feeling completely overwhelmed, but also very numb inside - moments of anger that bubble up out of nowhere - and crying for no apparent reason.  I have a history of health issues - iron deficiant anemia being one of them.  That alone accounts for all the above symptoms, but now it turns out I also have ulcers.  After being in a season of what I would say is "winter" spiritually, I do believe spring has sprung - the soil is being turned - weeds and rocks removed - ready to have God plant in me and to bring forth what was planted months ago, but has been allowed to be choked out by my own neglect.
This really hit home as I looked back over our family garden.  In years past it has been a source of contention, but also learning, teaching, and growing for me personally and our family.  This year - for many reasons, we were late preparing the ground, planting the vegetables and flowers, and fertilizing them.  I don't know why but this year the growing seemed SO MUCH slower than other years.  When veggies did begin to grow there was no maintainence, no further fertilizing and no weed pulling.  I went and gathered the fruit, but even that was lacking in my opinion.  Finally it got to where I didn't even bother anymore - sometimes I would send the kids to get stuff out of the garden, but once the squash plant was eaten from the inside out by some sort of pest I sort of said, "why am I wasting our time - let it go".  And I did - but one day, looking out the kitchen window it hit me - this is EXACTLY what I was doing with my spiritual life, my marriage, my parenting, my job.  I had planted, watered, become impatient, waited some - got a taste of what "could be" but then wasn't truly satisfied- so I proceeded to neglect.  All areas - and boy howdy does my life reflect this.  Weight gain, complacency, "good enough", and plain neglect.  In response to this, my marriage has hit a patch I haven't seen before, my kids have become short with one another - hardly tolerating any faults by another, and I have struggled to tolerate my job.  My house has been out of order and my actual "house" reflects the parasite of sin that has been allowed in.  It has taken about a month, since this revelation, for my heart to be open enough to begin the process of allowing the soil of my heart and mind to be tilled up.
I have cried out to my gracious, always faithful, ever present, never inconsistent, Abba.  He has heard me - and I am listening.  So, while there is work to be done, I know it is not all up to me, this is a process, and growth takes time, care, fertilizing, weeding, and continued love for myself and those around me.  Just in the last two weeks my marriage has begun to be placed back into a spot of importance in my heart, along with my parenting, and the needs of those I serve at my job.  I am praying - really praying (not just out of rote)- again.  I know healing is happening within me - in my health, my home, and my spiritual life.
I am looking forward to God continuing to show off in my life - and I have put my flesh on the altar in full surrender that may I not let "me" get bigger than "Him" in my life again....(but if it happens, I know He is better than me at parenting and will be there patiently to pick me back up, help me dust off, and point me AGAIN in the right direction!)
So thankful.

God's love for Little 'Ole Me

I am so overwhelmed by the graciousness of God I almost don't even know what to say.  Often the melancholy side to my personality tends to shine through more than I would like, but my prayer is that as God continues to grow me and shape me - then no matter what my circumstances might say, I am able to look at my circumstances each and EVERY time and say - "my God's got this!" and really truly believe it - not just say it because I am "supposed" to.  You know? 
Well, He never fails - always shows up - and is currently rocking my world.  If I truly think back though - He has always done these things - I just easily forget and get caught up in the next chaotic whirlwind that is my life.  I want to be that person that people think of and say - "wow, amazing how she is able to stay so calm and focused - always full of faith, and never allowing doubt to take hold."
Maybe in time - maybe.
Anyway -for now I am still me - I tend to blurt, assess a little too quickly at times, assume I know things (based on past experience - hahahaha!), I am fiercely loyal, and will freeze you out in a heart beat.  Aren't those just fantastic qualities? 
Anyway - over the years I have probably not gone through any more than any others on this fallen earth.  Sometimes my situations have felt overwhelming- but God has always either pushed or pulled me through.  Sometimes I went willingly, others I kicked and screamed the whole dad gum time. 
I know for sure that grace is given to those who need it right when it is needed - not before - not after - right on time.  Grace is what allows the believer to stand in the midst of overwhelming odds.  Grace is that elusive substance that helps feed your faith and faith in turn doles out grace.  It is such a gift to be in the midst of what I personally consider an overwhelming odds sort of situation and just when I don't think things can get better - a crack occurs - either within my heart - that allows love to enter and healing to happen - or within my circumstances - and that allows breathing, rest, reassessment of the really important things. 
Ideally I am always on the lookout for what is really really important and sloughing off what is not - but I am not an ideal person yet.  God is still working on me.
So, from illnesses, to financial issues, to marital problems, to work problems, to family problems, to death, to friendship issues, and just everyday wear and tear - GOD IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL. 
Always.
So, for about eight months I have felt a true and pressing need to clean out my house - literally.  My idea was to get rid of as much as I could in case things went south with my marriage and restoration was not part of the plan.  I laid awake at night thinking about what all I would have to go through and move - UGH.  Then when my husband and I moved back in together - the laying awake turned into dreaming about cleaning out my house - ALL of it.  Getting rid of everything - even paint.  I can't describe the pressing need I felt  - I can't remember a time I have ever felt like this - not even when "nesting" while pregnant with my kids - although it is totally possible I have forgotten. 
Anyway, being the fantastic procrastinator I tend to be, I just would talk about these dreams - knew I needed to get to it - but something always came up - mom's surgery, work, weather, illness, Christmas, focusing on rebuilding my marriage, baseball, school, Zumba, etc....
Then my 14 year old got accepted into color guard. 
You would have to know how out of the box it was for her to even decide to put herself out there to try out to begin to understand the magnitude of her making the cut for this team. On top of that she was also awarded the Prudential Spirit of Community Award and gets to go to Washington, D.C.  HUGE!
But, back to color guard.  The cost is close to $1800 for the equipment, clothing, camp, etc.  1/2 has to be turned in this Thursday and the other half in May.
I hate yard sales. At no point during any of my thinking and dreaming did I think I needed to have a yard sale - I am a giver by nature and because with all of the stuff I have I knew I didn't want people coming and saying, "you want what! for this?!" I don't do well with that at all.  My husband on the other hand thinks we should have yard sales any time we need money.  Personally I have NEVER found them to be profitable - In all my years of doing yard sales - at my mom's house, our first house, this house, with other friends, etc - I have NEVER left with a "woohoo!! Look at all we accomplished" It has always been, "remind me never to do this again."
So, when all of this came up with the color guard, needing money, etc - My husband immediately said, "yard sale!" My immediate response to that was "UGH!!!!!" but, deep down I knew if we were asking our daughter to work hard and earn money - babysitting, etc, then I needed to not just pitch in with my zumba
If forced me to go through 28 year old boxes of STUFF.  I mean really, who needs that?  My kids tried on my wedding dress and I took pictures - we just had a relatively good time - then we had the two day yard sale.  I had been praying about the yard sale - even at night with my kids.  My prayer had been that we would at least make $500.  I thought that would be great since I have never made more than maybe $200 in a yard sale before. 
Cost of three day ad :$42.90
Cash to start day with :$50
Miscellaneous items:$50 (plastic wrap, fast food, etc)
Day one: brought in $655
Day two brought in $485
Grand total from sale $1140 - so able to deposit roughly $1000!
God DOUBLED what I asked for - and my youngest child was paying attention.  He remembered the amount I had asked for and when we laid the money out on the table for the kids to actually see - to get a visual understanding of how much that was - then how much a trip to Hardee's was, how much a trip for Icee's were, house note for a month, etc. they had a better understanding of what all the push was for.
When Noah was able to say the amount I had prayed about and I was able to count out what God had brought in - well, it was HUGE.
I am saying totally overwhelming.  I have known that God cares - he cares when we are sick, when we have a broken air conditioning, or a major marital crisis, but He also cares about a little girl doing color guard and her parents having the money to help her.  His word promises, 'Ask and you shall receive, seek, and you will find, knock and the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8 
So, I did - and He showed off!! Love it.  I am still in so much awe - all over a yard sale of all things - but it is really more than that-
It is the fleece on the ground - the reminder that even the small things matter to God - He is not distant, He is real, present, and involved - He cares - more than I think I TRULY have given Him credit for - EVEN after EVERYTHING. 
I have known and do know that God loves me - he cares if my children are safe, growing in Him, being taught correctly, loved on, and if I am growing in Him and loving on those in His church.  He cares if my husband is struggling - He even cares if my son has food allergies and wants to be healed.  He truly does.
But aren't I pushing it by asking the God of the universe to care about paying for color guard and having a yard sale? 
No.
There could have been no better or more tangible lesson for me or my children or my husband this past weekend about what lengths God is willing to go through and to for His children - and on EASTER weekend when He had already sacrificed the ultimate sacrifice - His only son - and there I was concerned with color guard.  Still I prayed, and He showed up - and showed off in a MIGHTY MIGHTY way.
In more ways than I can count that reminded me on such an extremely personal level that God loves Reeda Paul.  Little 'ole Reeda - in this huge world and all its problems - He is constantly aware - always listening and forever faithful.  He wants to show off - all I had to do was ask.

Pressing In and Pressing On

Ok, today is the 21st and I got on the scales yesterday but read it in kilograms cause I was at work - didn't have time to really configure what that meant and so today came in and did it again - same number - really didn't much like the number I saw but decided to figure out what that number meant and am AMAZED to see that I have lost 1.7 pounds!! Praise the Lord!
I have failed to take my inches again, but realized as I was writing this that I am not supposed to until the 7th of April anyway - so WHEW!! Reason being I put on pants I wore this time last year and have more than just a "little muffin top".  They look spray painted on - and for sure I won't be wearing them any time soon with the t-shirt I wore them with last year.  But, the time is coming. 
As a family we have become more active.  I am excited about that.  We go for walks together some on Sundays - play kickball in the front yard (although I FREELY admit I am designated pitcher) - and walk during baseball practice, etc. 
I am really really really glad for all of this.  I want our kids to understand that exercise is a "way of life" not just "something you do because you ended up fat".  I know we are getting a little bit of a later start on this whole outdoors thing - but slowly and surely it is coming along.
I don't really have much to share today.  Prayers going out to my friends and families with so much on their plates right now.
More soon!